updated 12:20 pm EDT, Thu August 19, 2010

LG Optimus tablet positioned against iPad

LG in an interview today positioned its upcoming Android tablet as the antithesis of Apple's iPad [sub. required]. Marketing VP Chang Ma told the WSJ that the slate, which will go under the Optimus badge used for phones in Korea, should be "surprisingly productive." Apple's device is more focused on consuming content, he said.

Ma wouldn't say how the tablet shipping in the fall would achieve LG's goal. Android by itself doesn't have any inherently creative apps pre-installed and doesn't yet have any apps optimized for tablet size that could help. The iPad does have creative apps, including drawing tools as advanced as Autodesk Sketchbook Pro as well as Apple's iWork suite, DataViz's Documents To Go and numerous music apps.

LG will take on Apple in the US, but the executive didn't say if the tablet would have 3G or have options for either unlocked or carrier-discounted models.

The company is less optimistic about its smartphone prospects but hopes to turn back sustained market share losses with a much more concerted effort. It has already launched the Optimus phone line in Korea and plans a worldwide campaign with most every developed country getting the Optimus One, its entry-level Android phone, in September. A total of 10 devices are due by the end of the year, including at least one Windows Phone phone, the Pacific.

LG also plans to stand out at the high end and will have at least some phones based on NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra 250 in the fall, giving them support for 1080p video and fast 3D. A phone using LTE-based 4G is due for early 2011, although current technology would limit 4G to data rather than voice. Verizon may be its first candidate as its 4G roadmap includes LTE phones in January.

LG has long been one of the largest cellphone manufacturers overall but has been sinking as its lack of compelling smartphones have cost it share to Apple, RIM and closer Asian rivals like HTC. LG may have set itself back by agreeing to a questioned deal with Microsoft that left it committed to the unpopular Windows Mobile platform until last year.

i'll believe it when i see it,

LG shouldn't make such a vow if

they're basing their tablet on some hardware specs. There is absolutely no way they're going to prevail with Apple's App Store developers absolutely cranking out apps on a daily basis. It's the software and touch interface that is making the iPad productive while only using a minimum of hardware. Somehow these companies just don't get it. So unless LG has cornered an awful lot of developers, there's no way they can back up that vow and claim their tablet will be more productive. They should just say something such as they'll do their utmost to make their tablet competitive in the tablet market which is likely easier said than done.

I always enjoy looking at LG and Samsung's ads. There's nothing like displaying a device flanked by S. Korean hotties. Although it makes it much more difficult to focus on the device, at least in my case.

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> Apple's device is more focused on consuming content, he said.

It is amazing to me that this ridiculous statement is still being made. There's more to productivity than MS Office, but even just in that context there are multiple office suites on iOS, including a presentation app that is head and shoulders above PowerPoint in every way.

iPad has the heart of a Mac in there! Of course it is the best tablet for making stuff.

I've written hundreds of songs already on iOS, it is perfect for that because it's small, easy to always have with you, microphones built-in, instant-on, long battery life, large solid-state storage, fantastic interface, and it's easy to move songs onto a Mac for production work.

oh the last days of Apple

maybe this will cause Apple to concentrate on Mac's again, which wouldn't bother me at all...love my Mac.

But hate to break it to you, this fight is already over - not only is Android increasing its lead vs. iOS with every passing day - but Microsoft is expected to have a worldwide hit with Windows Phone 7.

500 million dollar marketing budget - combined with the natural tendency of the person on the street to associate MS with - productivity - thanks to MS Office, and arcade (ok nobody knows what an arcade is - but leading generation games), thanks to Xbox 360 - add to that the early reviews suggest they finally got it right - an elegant and easy to use OS - MS is back.

Android, MS assaulting the high end, meanwhile RIM is aiming for the prepaid market. Apple can't take that exit strategy - they'll slug it out with Android and MS offering phones at every price point, in every country, on every carrier - with a single phone, on some carriers - at one price point.

It's just math now, the war is over. Lets talk about iOS's high end features and why we are happy to be in this tiny niche of the market.